


Cosplay

by Sonata_IX



Category: Mortal Kombat Conquest
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:01:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27113005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sonata_IX/pseuds/Sonata_IX
Summary: Silly side-story set in the same world as "Between the Mists". Titania and Rayden bump into each other at a comic con.
Relationships: Raiden (Mortal Kombat)/Original Character(s)





	Cosplay

**Author's Note:**

> Every once in a while I have to return to this old favorite pairing…and put them in some new bizarre setting.
> 
> This is just a silly little side-story that takes place sometime after "Between the Mists". If you haven't read it, for the purposes of this story you just need to know that Titania, my OC, is a goddess from another realm that had a love affair with Rayden once upon a time.

Titania, Queen of the Fairies, enjoyed going to comic cons.

She had always liked visiting Earthrealm, especially during any kind of large festival. Humanity was at its best when it came together in celebration. Comic cons merely added another dimension, in that she didn't have to hide who she was to fit in. In fact, she fit in _better_ the less she tried.

It was intoxicating, and addicting. Her own realm was home to a variety of peoples and creatures, but still she stood out among them as unusual. At comic cons, she found _home_ in a way that she'd never expected, as a place that transcended a physical location and instead was a state of being. Being herself.

She would never have guessed that she would be a fan of video games in particular, especially as the complications of maintaining working electronics in her realm were rarely worth the effort, but there it was. On one of her earlier excursions, as she'd been browsing through the different event offerings, she'd meandered curiously into the gaming hall.

It had caught her eye immediately, the giant sign proclaiming the name brazenly.

_Mortal Kombat._

She'd been drawn in like a moth to a flame. Before she knew it, she was standing in front of a giant poster. So many familiar likenesses. The renderings could only have come from someone who had attended a tournament personally. Why publicize this knowledge in the form of a game?

She realized she was staring at the portrait of Lord Rayden and blushed, looking down at the table set out in front.

After a brief study, she realized it was a series of popular fighting and action-adventure games. She didn't recognize any of the names listed in the pamphlet, but that did not surprise her. She was an outsider and only knew some of the more prominent Earthrealm warriors. But someone with inside knowledge had definitely been a key advisor.

It was all there, all of it. The entire bloody history. Everyone who fought and lived and died. It was centered on Earthrealm, but warriors from other realms seemed popular as well. She had no idea who could have supplied such detailed information. Some of the stories were beyond even her knowledge, or perhaps they were merely fiction? Who could say.

In the end, it was of no real concern to her. She was sure everyone on Earthrealm who knew the truth about Mortal Kombat must be aware of the games' existence.

What _did_ concern her was that she could watch fantastic battles between skilled players, some of them fighting as Rayden. The newer games in particular had delicious graphics.

And so the gaming halls became one of her favorite haunts at any comic con she attended.

It was on one of these ventures that she saw him.

Titania was approaching the convention area on foot. She liked to arrive that way, a large pack slung over one shoulder. She often joined other loose crowds of attendees, all obvious to each other by their distinct otherness. She stopped at an intersection, waiting for the light to change. People milled around her, some striking up conversations, most content with the silent sense of belonging.

A bus pulled up across the street and began to disgorge scores of convention-goers, these more likely to have bulky luggage or unusual bundles of costume props. She wasn't paying much attention to anyone, more focused on the stoplight and the crosswalk signal. But some part of her was always subconsciously watching for _him_.

She had always thought his hair would be how she found him. Long silver hair was hardly common in these times. Even now, he had it pulled back into a neat bun and mostly hidden under one of the beanie hats that were so popular, minimizing it's unusualness. But it was something else about him that caught her attention, something in his stature or in the way he moved or walked or stood...she couldn't say what it was exactly. It was just something _him_.

He paused on the corner with most of the other passengers, waiting for the bus to move on so he could cross the street.

The light changed. The bus moved. The crowd around Titania surged forward, and her with it. She barely noticed. Her eyes were fixed on him as she drew closer and closer. He didn't notice her. He was staring across the street, focused on the other light, as she had been.

The two crowds collided and a brief chaos ensued as everyone squeezed and shuffled for positions on the curb. The other light changed and the mass of people flowed in a new direction. He ended up ahead of her, maybe half a dozen people separating them.

She followed blindly, but didn't try to get closer. Her stunned mind stirred, beginning to shake off the shock. It likely wasn't him. Silver-haired characters were not uncommon at these events. He was likely just preparing to play a role.

But she still couldn't stop herself from following him.

He carried a dark blue duffel, larger than the pack she carried but not so much of a burden that it prevented him from heading straight to the registration area. That suited Titania just fine, she needed to pick up her event credentials anyway.

They were lucky. It was early enough that the line wasn't too bad. Titania almost panicked when they were both waiting in line and he began to look around, taking in his surroundings and the people nearby. Luckily, there were still enough people between them and the short line moved quickly enough that she was able to avoid his gaze. She wasn't sure why she was hiding. She _wanted_ him to see her. But she also didn't.

A long time ago, Titania and Rayden had been lovers. It had ended badly, as things tend to do when Outworld interferes. She still held him in her heart, and she believed he felt the same, but belief wasn't the same as being confronted with it head on. What would he be doing at such an event anyway? No, more likely it wasn't him.

With her own innate abilities, it was easy enough to listen as he approached the counter, received a VIP pass, and discussed the perks that came with it. She didn't usually bother with any of the special passes...she was not there for front row seats or free autographs or special treatment. But this was different.

Minutes later she exited with her own VIP pass swinging from a lanyard around her neck. She glanced around quickly, but as expected she had lost track of her Rayden look-alike. It didn't matter. She knew where she would find him.

Shouldering her pack, she headed down the street to the room she'd rented. Staying at the convention hotel would have been nice, but she preferred to deal with cash and coin, not plastic. It limited her options to those which could be arranged through her human allies, but it was only a few short blocks away in this case.

Good, she would need time to conjure up the perfect dress for the special VIP banquet happening that evening.

* * *

At 6pm sharp, Titania stood outside the restaurant and banquet hall attached to the convention center.

She had wound her long blonde hair into a bun, with a few tendrils curling elegantly against her neck. The bun was held in place by a jeweled comb, but she wore no other jewelry. Her dress was a long slinky green thing that sparkled when she moved and she had a diaphanous golden scarf draped across her arms. For shoes, she wore simple golden sandals, their laces criss-crossing her ankles. No one appreciated comfortable footwear more than convention-goers. She finished the look with a pair of satin gloves.

It was probably too much, but Titania didn't really care. That was the beauty of these types of events. Some people would treat them like the fanciest masquerade ball from a fairy story. Others would just want the free food, or maybe the chance to bump into one of the celebrity guests.

No, it was not nerves that made her hesitate before entering the building, but something else. She closed her eyes and breathed in slowly, opening herself to the world around her. The day was growing late. Not quite twilight, but close enough. Titania's lands had once been called the Twilight Realm and now, even in another realm, at certain times of day, magic would find her. All she had to do was wait for it.

Nearby, someone whistled. Not a wolf whistle, but a slow quiet sound of appreciation. Titania smiled and opened her eyes, turning toward the acclamation.

A man stood a few feet away, facing her. He had clearly been approaching the building and paused when he saw her. She blinked in surprise as she took in his appearance. He was pale, even more so than herself, and wore a bright green doublet over green hose with soft green shoes. He had a sword belted around his waist and a green hat with a red feather, that managed to match the exact shade of his deep red hair.

His face was almost as red as his hair. "Ahhh hi, sorry," he said sheepishly.

She kept her smile in place. "Robin Hood?" she guessed.

He affected an affronted air. "Peter Pan! _Formal_ Peter Pan. Though Robin Hood is a good idea, all I'd need to do is switch the sword with a bow…" He looked momentarily thoughtful and then shook it off. "I was just regretting that my Wendy couldn't make it and then here you are," he gestured to her excitedly. "Formal Tinkerbell!"

Titania blinked again and reassessed her attire. With the bun and the green dress, she realized she _did_ look a bit like the animated fairy character.

"We _have_ to go in together!" Peter Pan was almost giddy. He stepped up beside her and gallantly offered her his arm.

Titania tossed her scarf around her neck, letting the ends trail down her back to mimic fairy wings. "As long as you're sure Wendy won't mind."

They climbed the steps to the entrance together. "Oh she's going to be _so_ mad she missed this! Group cosplays are the _best!_ "

Inside, he was immediately proven to be correct. As soon as the two of them entered the banquet hall, someone stopped them for a picture. A handful of other photographers appeared while they cheerfully posed, but the kicker was when a Captain Hook stepped out of the crowd to join them. He was resplendent in a red velvet coat and hat with lace trim, not to mention the wig of dark silky curls that cascaded down his shoulders. The three of them spent some time trying a variety of both elegant and ridiculous poses together but Titania eventually snuck away while Peter and Hook were engaged in mock combat. She was sure all of the attention they had garnered had served its purpose by that point. She had wanted to be noticed, after all.

As she moved further into the banquet hall, people were more likely to be interested in the banquet itself. They mingled and socialized, enjoying the complimentary drinks, or sat in clusters at the long tables sampling the light snacks that had been set out. Titania grabbed a drink from a tray and then found a stretch of open table to sit and wait. As she sipped her drink, she let her eyes casually wander the room, but she didn't see the one she was looking for.

She had turned her attention to the snack tray when a voice spoke over her shoulder. "Is this seat taken?"

It was _him_. She knew without turning, but she did turn, and was glad for it.

He had let his hair down. It was partially pulled back around his face but mostly hung loose on the shoulders of his charcoal gray suit. He wore a matching tie and a shirt that was only a few shades darker than his hair. Striking.

"It's yours," she said with a dismissive gesture, pleased at her word play. _No one else is sitting there so it can be your seat_ was how he would interpret it, but _It is your seat because I would have allowed no one else to sit there_ was what she meant.

"Is it then?" he said with good humour as he sat, and she wondered if he too saw both meanings. He snagged a couple of grapes from the snack tray and reclined casually in the chair, completely at ease in spite of his formal attire. "So, Ms. Bell," he said, eyeing her as he popped a grape into his mouth.

She inclined her head. "Mr…?"

"Ray."

Her heart fluttered. Short for Rayden? "In that case, Tanya," she offered, smiling at him with lowered lashes. He didn't react, even though it was the nickname he himself had given her. Perhaps not Rayden then?

"Ooh, won't Mr. Pan be jealous?" His tone was light but there was an intensity in his gaze.

She made the dismissive gesture again. "A fortuitous meeting on the way in. The first thing he told me was how much he wished his Wendy was here."

"Fortuitous indeed!" He laughed and she stared. She couldn't help it. He leaned forward suddenly, ostensibly to reach for more fruit, but he leaned closer to her than necessary as he did it. "So then," he murmured to her, "he won't mind if I…"

He was interrupted as people suddenly began clamoring for seats. At some signal Titania had missed, the social hour had ended and the dinner was about to begin. He straightened in his seat with a small huff and Titania hid her smile behind her wine glass. He was so _confident_. She had expected more reticence but this was a pleasant surprise.

The dinner progressed agreeably with plenty of light, teasing banter. Titania almost couldn't stand it. If he wasn't Rayden, then he was the most perfect copy that humanity could ever have produced. She waited silently for a sign that he was something more than human, that he perhaps knew and recognized her, but other than his outrageous flirting, he gave her nothing. She thought that she should _know_ somehow, but this was not her realm and twilight had faded into true night. Her extraordinary luck could only take her so far.

Near the end of the meal, she at last grew tired of the games. He was _too_ similar, and instead of providing a fun diversion, she was beginning to get maudlin. The next time a harried waitress rushed by, Titania touched her arm to stop her and asked where the ladies' room was.

"We don't have one, sorry," the waitress said, sounding not the least bit sorry.

Titania stared at her, puzzled. "You...don't have a ladies' room?"

"No bathroom at all in this old building," was the brusque response before the waitress hurried off, leaving Titania staring after her. She left a distinct miasma in her wake that Titania had heard of but seldom experienced herself. _We're catering to you freaks but we don't have to like it,_ were the unspoken words.

"Rude," Ray said mildly, and she had the impression he was laughing at her. Flustered and frustrated, she suddenly felt like the noise and revelry was pressing in around her. Titania looked across the room to the large windows that looked out into the city and spied the neon of a fast food sign down the street.

"Well," she grumbled, tossing her napkin on her plate. "I'm not staying here then. I'm sure there are plenty of other places that are just as good but _don't_ mind if someone wants to use the facilities."

She rose from the table, and Ray rose too. "I'll go with you," he said quickly. She glanced at him but decided it wasn't worth the trouble or the attention it would draw to dissuade him.

"Fine," she snapped, and made her way swiftly to the exit without a backward glance.

She stepped into the cool night air and immediately felt refreshed. She hadn't realized how stuffy the banquet hall had become. After a pause to get her bearings, she realized the fast food restaurant was farther down the street than it had looked from inside. However, right next door, glowing with cheerful warmth, was the entrance to a hotel. Titania eyed it, knowing that most hotels had a restroom in their lobby but not all of them would welcome a person who wasn't a hotel guest.

Ray stepped up beside her, his hands shoved casually into his pockets. "My hotel is right over there," he nodded across the street. "It's closer than a restaurant."

Titania shot him a grin. "My thoughts exactly," she replied. She checked the street for traffic and then quickly darted across, making a beeline for the entrance. Oddly, she noted as they approached that all the lights were off. "Is that normal?" she asked Ray over her shoulder.

He stepped around her and tugged at the door, which didn't budge. "Um. No?" He sounded uncertain.

Titania looked around. Only the lobby was dark, but the rest of the hotel's main floor was illuminated like normal. "Is there...something else going on tonight?" She pointed.

Down the side of the hotel, long lines of people had formed at each of the side entrances.

Ray hmmed. "Must be. They can't expect regular hotel guests to wait in those lines though, can they?"

At that moment, a man walked past them, giving them an odd look. He stepped up to the locked door, swiped his keycard through a slot, and then entered.

Titania gave Ray her sweetest smile. "Oh Ray, maybe you should use your key?"

"Very funny," he grumbled, catching the door before it could shut all the way and holding it open for her.

The man ahead of them paused, casting them a suspicious look until Ray dug through his pockets to actually produce a hotel key, which he waved at the man.

Titania giggled. "You must look untrustworthy," she teased. He only huffed at her and led the way inside.

They were midway across the spacious lobby when a loud buzz sounded, and suddenly all of the side doors opened at once. Titania and Ray froze, as a huge mass of people stampeded toward them. Half of them mobbed the elevators impatiently and Titania shrieked as Ray wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her out of the way. The other half began pounding up the stairs at breakneck pace. Several people were knocked down and nearly trampled.

"What the hell kind of event is this?" Ray snarled. His arms were still around her, tangled in the fabric of her scarf, as they pressed against the nearest wall. Titania was trembling, but more from surprise than fear.

"Um. No idea." The flood of people showed no sign of slowing. "What floor is your room on?"

"Four." He looked up through the open atrium. People were beginning to spill out onto the other floors, still racing about madly.

"Think we can make it that far?" She followed his gaze. "We might have better luck going with the flow than trying to get out."

"Good plan." His arms slid from her shoulders and he took her gloved hand in his, squeezing it until she looked at him. "Don't let go," he said seriously. She nodded. "Ready?" She nodded again.

He stepped forward into the melee, pulling her close behind him. They were swept up two flights of stairs before she'd barely realized what had happened. She was _very_ glad for her comfortable shoes just then.

On the third floor they ran into problems. Most of the crowd was apparently exiting on this floor, and when Ray tried to steer them sideways through the rushing crowd toward the next flight of stairs, they were jostled about. No one _cared_ that someone wanted to go in a different direction. Even though he had a death grip on her hand, the satin gloves weren't made for gripping. Titania felt her fingers slipping free of the smooth fabric and she was eventually pulled away. A second later she saw Ray fall as he tried to turn back for her.

She shoved hard at the person who had separated them, but they merely pushed her out of the way and continued on. Titania was slammed into a wall and clung to it, catching her breath. A moment later Ray rolled out of the crowd and hit the wall a few feet from her. She slid along the wall until she reached him and together they crept slowly out of the crowd and into the next stairwell.

After a moment to recover, Titania pointed out, "We can't stay here, they'll hit these stairs next as soon as this floor fills up."

Ray's hair was disheveled and he blew a bit of it out of his face as he nodded in agreement. "Go on," he gestured up the stairs. "I'll be right behind you."

She scurried halfway up the stairs, then turned to look back at him. He had pulled himself laboriously to his feet, gripping the railing for support, and began to limp up the stairs, his expression tight. She must have made a noise, because he glanced up at her and mimicked her dismissive gesture from earlier. "It's nothing. Sprained ankle. Go on."

She made it to the top of the stairs and waited for him on the landing. He was flushed and breathing hard when he reached her and she immediately took hold of his arm to add her support. She thought he might protest, but a glance down at the atrium revealed that the third floor was getting awfully busy. It wouldn't be long before the mob expanded to the fourth floor.

"Hurry," he told her, and together they hobbled down the hallway. In spite of the peril, she found herself noting the solid muscle of his arm as she clenched it to her and she had to stop her fingers from caressing the soft gray fabric of his suit jacket.

His room was all the way at the end and it was only after they were both inside with the door bolted solidly behind them that Titania began to relax. He had a suite, and they both collapsed onto the floor of the sitting room. Ray sprawled on his back across the carpet and Titania leaned back against the foot of the sofa. They were both disheveled and out of breath.

After a moment of silence while they both recovered, Ray lifted an arm and gestured lazily before letting it drop back to the floor. "Bathroom," he said, closing his eyes.

Titania had almost forgotten what had started this whole adventure. She climbed tiredly to her feet and made her way to the adjoining room, closing the door behind her.

She didn't really even need a restroom; it had just been a convenient excuse to leave the party. Ray had derailed that plan when he decided to follow her. Now here she was, in his hotel room. She should probably have a plan but...the night seemed pretty determined to surprise her. She could appreciate the spontaneity.

She took a few minutes to calm herself and straighten her hair and appearance before she emerged.

He hadn't moved, eyes still closed, arm still extended above his head from when he had pointed her to the restroom. His jacket had come unbuttoned and flapped open to either side of him, and everything about him was still mussed. He looked _delicious_.

He opened his eyes and Titania hastily averted hers. She looked at the sofa, which was haphazardly strewn with bits of clothing and what appeared to be costume accessories. There was a rumpled looking coolie hat with its top caved in.

"Oh, poor hat," she murmured. She picked it up and straightened it out, reshaping it so the top came to a proper point. She had a fondness for coolie hats. They reminded her…

She looked more closely at the other costume items that had been mostly hidden under the hat. _Oh lord…_

"Cosplay?" she asked. Her voice sounded strange, a little too high, a little too tight. Surely he wouldn't...

"Mhmm." She heard him stir behind her and glanced back to see that he had propped himself up on his elbows, watching her. "From Mortal Kombat."

And for a moment she saw it, saw that familiar costume overlaying his current attire, saw the lightning flash in his eyes, as he lay there looking up at her. Waiting.

_Oh...lord…_

She looked away, flushing. "Hmm," was the only response she was able to make.

Suddenly this seemed like a terrible idea. Why would Lord Rayden come to a convention and cosplay as _himself?_ No, of course he wouldn't. No matter how much Ray seemed like Rayden, he was only a very clever lookalike. It was extremely likely that his natural hair color wasn't even silver.

But still. To see _him_ , dressed like _that…_

She wasn't sure she'd be able to handle it. She wasn't sure what she would do.

_This is bad._

* * *

The first full day of the event dawned...or didn't. It was a gloomy, overcast day and the air was heavy with the threat of rain. Titania paid it no mind.

She stepped inside the main entrance of the convention center, pausing to let the crowd flow around her as a familiar thrill swept through her. She was surrounded by people of all sizes and shapes and colors, dressed in armor and masks and fur, sporting horns and wings and cloven feet. More combinations than she could possibly describe. The first time she'd seen it, she'd felt like she had stepped into a dream.

An old dream, but close to her heart. A dream that _her_ realm was filled with people of all types. True, she ruled over many races and creatures, and loved them all dearly, but she stood out among them. Few from her realm looked as _human_ as she did. She was instantly recognizable, short of using advanced magic, which was also noticeable by quite a few of her subjects. She couldn't even _pretend_ to be just like anyone else.

Unlike here, where everyone was different, and yet everyone was the same.

She meandered the halls idly, getting used to the building layout and enjoying the boisterous crowds. She tried not to look for silver hair. Though not very hard.

Inevitably she found herself outside of the gaming hall. She smiled, but a sudden rush of anxiety made her hesitate before entering. If he was anywhere, he'd be in there. A gaming cosplay would be most popular within the gaming hall, after all. She took a deep breath and tried to relax. Nervousness was ridiculous. She was a goddess, and besides that, she had her own amazing cosplay.

She swept into the gaming hall as confidently as if she were entering her own throne room.

The effort was wasted. Everyone was engrossed in their gaming consoles or tables or booths, except for a few attendees who passed her as they exited, giving her a thumbs up and exclaiming over her costume.

She worked her way slowly through the room, glancing at some of the newer games but not pausing. While she enjoyed many aspects of conventions, once she entered the gaming hall there was only one thing that could hold her attention. She didn't know where exactly she would find it, but she knew it was here somewhere.

Ahh _there_.

Her lips quirked into a grin. It was her lucky day. She'd arrived during the cosplay showcase.

In front of the massive Mortal Kombat banner and scattered gaming consoles, a small portable stage had been set up. Just large enough to hold a few people at a time, a steady stream of cosplayers paraded across it, each pausing to strike a pose or two and accept the cheers of their peers before moving on. As she approached the back of the crowd that had gathered, the showcase switched to match-ups, pulling pairs of cosplayers on the stage to pose together as if they were in battle.

She moved in closer to one side of the stage, where most of the cosplayers seemed to be gathered as they waited their turn. Her gaze searched through them, not even trying to pretend that she wasn't looking for someone. Not a lot of silver hair, usually there was at least _one_ …

Oh.

She froze with an unnatural inhuman stillness. From the coolie hat to the blue and white uniform, it was like seeing a memory come to life. He was watching the stage, arms folded across his chest in a pose she had seen hundreds of times. As if he was watching a real fight. She studied his profile intently, drinking in his features hungrily. Could it possibly be…?

He blinked suddenly and frowned a little. His eyes slid to the side and met hers. She felt a jolt run through her. A sly smile curled across his lips and he turned to face her, sauntering closer and studying her appreciatively.

"Well," he drawled, "if it isn't the god of thunder."

She felt her face flush and was glad of the helmet that covered most of it, but drew strength again from her anonymity. "That's god _dess_ ," she told him, resting her free hand on her hip. The other held her weapon casually.

He acknowledged her correction with a respectful bow of his head, though his grin still mocked her playfully. "My Lady Thor."

She returned the nod. "My Lord Rayden."

He blinked, some of the merriment fading from his face, and peered at her more intently.

She realized belatedly that perhaps she should not have greeted him with his own name in her own voice. If it really was him. Gods, she needed to make up her mind if she wanted it to be him or not. But of course she did. She just didn't want to be disappointed if she was wrong.

To distract him, and herself, she gave him a quick look up and down. "You look like you recovered from last night."

He blinked again and confused recognition replaced the intensity. "Tanya?"

At that moment a photographer, angling for the best shot of the current group on stage, backed directly in between them. Though they each took a step back smoothly, the movement still caught the photog's peripheral vision and he realized he'd unwittingly interrupted a conversation. "Oops, sorry!" he blurted, giving each of them an apologetic glance.

Then he did a double take, noticing their costumes, and his face lit up. "Oh my gosh!" he all but squealed. "I need to get a picture of you together!"

Titania sighed. Those were the magic words. Heads turned all around them as other eager photographers heard and wondered what new amazing cosplay might have been spotted.

Before a circle of cameras could form around them, Titania slipped over to Ray's side and nodded at the stage, where the last group was making their exit. "What do you say, Thunder God? Shall we?" She grinned up at him.

He met her eyes and it felt like they were locked together for a long moment, but when he stepped back and gestured gallantly toward the stage, no one else seemed to have noticed. "After you, my lady," he said.

On the stage, they started by facing off against each other with the traditional ready poses from the games, then staged several shots as if they were mid-battle. The last one had her poised as if she had thrown Mjolnir at him and he had stopped it with one hand. She feigned falling to her knees in disbelief as he flipped the lightweight prop in his hand, gripping it by the handle as he lifted it triumphantly over his head. The crowd cheered, cameras flashed, and someone screamed, "Rayden is worthy!"

With a smile, Titania rose to her feet and stepped up beside him. She reached up to grip the handle alongside him, lifting her other fist in a gesture of shared victory.

And then she couldn't breathe.

Her hand had covered his, their fingers intertwining on the hammer's leather grip. She could _feel_ him, and it felt like no mortal touch. It was him. It was _him_.

He had felt it as well. He jerked his arm back, swinging them around to face each other, the hammer still between them. The expression of wonder and disbelief on his face would have been ridiculous if she wasn't so sure that her own matched it. Except, he didn't know that. _Her_ face was still hidden.

She didn't even hesitate as she reached for her helmet. Now that she knew, she would never hide from him. She removed it easily and tossed her head, shaking out her hair where it had become flattened against her scalp. She let him see her now, without her subtle glamours or modern makeups. Just her.

His lips moved. "Tanya," he whispered. It was the same name, but she smiled because he said it differently now. He said it like he always said _her_ name. She felt his fingers tense as if to draw her closer through their shared grip on the hammer.

"Now kiss!" someone yelled. They both glanced at their audience, and this time Titania had nothing to hide her blush.

Rayden's eyes slid back to her slyly. "Well, we should give our fans what they want, shouldn't we?"

She met his gaze through lowered lashes. "Anything...for our fans," she murmured.

A crack of thunder rocked the hall. Several people screamed.

Titania and Rayden broke apart, scanning the room. "What did you-"

"That wasn't me," he interrupted her startled question.

She huffed to herself. But what kind of storm could produce thunder loud enough to be heard inside the huge, crowded, noisy hall? Her eyes went to the domed ceiling and she gasped.

Abruptly, the ululating wail of a tornado siren cut through the clamor of the convention. A hush fell over the crowd, and then the noise redoubled as panic sparked and people looked around in confusion or began to rush for the exits.

But it was far, far too late for that.

Rayden stepped up beside her, following her gaze. To where one corner of the domed roof was beginning to peel away, the cold wind and rain rushing into the hall eagerly.

"Is that natural?" she asked, not looking away from it.

"Unlikely," he replied grimly. "We both shouldn't be here." Titania felt a pang go through her, but he spoke the truth. Two gods, unwittingly in the same place. It was bound to attract the wrong kind of attention. Foolish, they were both so foolishly caught up in their own games.

She shoved her emotions aside. "Can you stop it?"

He looked around the room. "Not without a lot of people getting hurt."

"Leave that part to me." He looked at her then and she expected to see doubt or perhaps a challenge, but all she saw was...trust. It momentarily staggered her, that he would so easily accept that she could protect his people.

All through the hall, screams rose. People had noticed the storm tearing into the building. Some cowered under folding tables, others ran blindly in the opposite direction of the storm, ignoring or unaware that there were no exits along the far wall.

Lightning flashed in Rayden's eyes and there was a crackle of thunder as a gale equal in intensity to the storm attacking them rose around him, lifting him from the platform into the open air.

Titania took a few steps back and then, whirling Mjolnir as if she truly were Thor, she took a running leap into the air after him. With a whisper, she enchanted the prop, giving it weight and strength...though perhaps not as much as the real Mjolnir...then sent it lancing around the room to intercept any debris that threatened the convention goers. She watched it smash a folding chair into a wall and then take out a wooden partition still laden with original artwork pinned neatly in place. Undaunted, the hammer continued to zip around wildly after any flying object it came near. Satisfied that the enchantment would hold, she headed for the far end of the hall, where most of the people were gathering. The hammer was still only one tiny hammer in a very large room. It would not be enough by itself.

In the distance, she saw Rayden launch himself at the storm, lightning flashing from his fingertips the only indication of the raw power he was throwing at it.

She couldn't have handled that kind of heavy lifting, but she had other strengths. Now she reached for that which came most naturally to her: glamour. Casting a deep fog over the floor of the entire hall, she filled it with a peaceful calm, so that all who wandered within it would fall into a stupor. It was difficult. The hall was large, emotions were high, and this was not her realm. Still, she held it and slowly felt it begin to take effect. It also might have helped that no one within the fog could see or hear the storm. "Out of sight, out of mind" was such a true statement when it came to humanity.

The illusion took less strength to maintain as more people began to succumb and fewer fought against her. Over the top of the fog, she added a second layer, thicker, stronger but without the numbing effect. Its purpose wasn't to lull, as there was no one else that high off the ground besides herself and Rayden. Instead, she used it to catch and hold the steady stream of debris that the storm was still raining down on everyone. _That_ was going to get heavy quickly. She tried to shuttle the debris to the edges of the hall, but the area was too large. She had to focus on smaller sections of the fog in order to direct it, which weakened the rest of it and let things fall through.

With a grumble, she closed her eyes to increase her focus, grit her teeth and held on. "Best hurry up, Thunder God."

* * *

Rayden couldn't even begin to imagine which of his enemies had decided to send the twister. Against _him_. He would have rolled his eyes at the foolishness if he wasn't somewhat busy at the moment.

The tornado had eaten quite a chunk out of one side of the convention hall, but he had stopped it there, refusing to let it advance further. Now it whirled furiously, chewing up what parts of the building it could still reach, fueled by the angry intent that had created it.

Spreading his arms wide, Rayden brought them together with a deafening clap of thunder. The tornado shuddered, shedding water and dirt and weight under the onslaught, until it was just a spinning column of wind. Still, it stubbornly refused to abate.

Rayden reached for it, though the physical gesture was unnecessary. He was really reaching with "hands" that were much larger and much stronger. His power gripped the whirlwind, squeezing it tighter and tighter in a stranglehold. It howled, an unnatural sound that at last gave him a hint of who might be challenging him, but he kept the pressure on it. Now was not the time for dealing with petty vendettas.

At last, the force behind the wind abruptly vanished, as if the caster's strength had suddenly run out. Rayden smiled with grim satisfaction, surveying the potent powers as they lingered and faded. He expected it would be awhile before that particular individual could rally the energy to try anything like that again. He blinked and his vision abruptly shifted back to reality, the magical traces suddenly replaced by ruined walls and wrecked tables.

At the other end of the hall, Titania floated gracefully, arms extended, eyes closed as if in a trance. Rayden surveyed her work as he headed toward her. He had to admit he was impressed. She had managed to calm the crowds, sending the people into some kind of magical sleep. The last of the debris that the tornado had flung around had been caught and was now being lowered slowly to the ground, falling gently and harmlessly around the slumbering masses.

Rayden reached her just as she lowered her arms and opened her eyes with a tired sigh. She gave him a small smile, but then wavered in the air and he shot forward to catch her, easing them both down to the ground together. He noted that her skin was cool and her face was pale except for an exhausted flush across her cheeks.

She saw his concern and gave him a half-hearted glare as he set her on her feet. "I'd like to see you do that in _my_ realm without breaking a sweat," she challenged. She lifted one hand and Mjolnir flew into it.

He raised an eyebrow at it. "How long did it take you to enchant that thing to behave like that?"

She smirked at him. "Not long at all."

* * *

Sadly, Rayden hadn't been able to spend any time with Titania after the disaster. He lingered just long enough to see the attendees begin to drowsily rouse themselves as the first emergency responders arrived on the scene. Titania had disappeared even more quickly, not that he could blame her. He wasn't sure if anyone would actually remember seeing Lord Rayden and Lady Thor fight a tornado, but it wouldn't be wise to stick around to find out, even posing as merely a coincidentally dressed cosplayer.

He had things to investigate himself, but he didn't expect them to yield any fruit and he was more annoyed by the distraction than anything else.

By the time he was able to return to the area, night had fallen and the convention center was dark and silent, ringed in yellow police tape. He expected that would be the end of the comic con. How disappointing.

And so he was pleasantly surprised in the morning when he glanced out of his hotel window and saw a colorful melange of booths, tents and streamers popping up in the park across the street. Looking closer, he could see a steady stream of convention goers passing through the park, browsing the wares, and socializing just as they would have inside the convention hall. Many even came out in cosplay.

Shaking his head and grinning at their determination, Rayden donned one of his simpler costumes and went out to join them. A black shirt, open at the collar to reveal a silver wolfhead medallion. Black leather pants. A long sword strapped to his back. And, mostly satisfyingly, his own natural hair. Wigs were decidedly _not_ worth the effort.

At the park, Rayden scanned the crowd. A few people snapped covert pictures of him, but most left him alone. Another perk of this particular role...it was completely acceptable for him to look menacing and avoid small talk. He noted a few police officers stopping by to check out the scene, but they seemed more bemused than anything and left after chatting with a few of the vendors.

Rayden began a slow stroll through the main thoroughfare. Was it too much to hope that Titania would return? He hadn't thought of her in...a long time. Not for lack of caring. He had learned over his many years as Protector of Earthrealm that sometimes it was best not to look too closely at some memories. Sometimes being immortal just meant an ever growing list of loved ones to mourn.

Sometimes it was so _hard_ though. Memories were what had led him to comic cons. He'd been angry at first, when he learned of the first Mortal Kombat game. It felt like a mockery of all the lives of warriors that had been sacrificed over the years. Later he found it more amusing, especially the caricatures of some of his old enemies.

Then finally, it made him sad. The games were primarily for battling, but they still told stories as well. Stories about his friends. Stories about himself. Stories he hadn't let himself think about in a long time.

He attended his first comic con undercover, so to speak, as an ordinary fan who wanted to learn more about the games. In reality, he'd been hoping to track down who had leaked so much true information about the tournament and managed to monetize it. But his motive changed the moment he saw his first cosplayer. It was Scorpion, who he later learned was quite popular amongst the fans, and though he would never have mistaken the man for the _real_ Scorpion, his costume was very impressive.

Rayden had wandered that event in a daze, confronted again and again with slightly distorted ghosts from his past. He came back the next day with a clearer head and started listening to what the fans had to say. Every single "character" in the game had fans, even the villains. Every single one of them was beloved by someone. Some people had made lifelong friends as a result of the game, discovered new careers, or found life lessons in the stories. And for the first time Rayden _remembered_. Not just how his friends from ages past had died, but how they had lived and what their lives had meant. Now, so many long years after they had passed, their lives continued to make a difference in the world, even if the people listening to them didn't realize they were real. But it mattered. It was enough.

He had never expected he would meet anyone he knew at one of these events. No other immortals on Earthrealm had had his connection to the mortal warriors. They all knew of the games, but most found them beneath their dignity to pay any attention to them.

He had never dreamed he would find Titania at a comic con. He had never dreamed her would find her again _period_. The situation was so surreal that he himself could barely believe it. If she hadn't touched his hand…

He found himself mentally reviewing their interactions from the first day. His arm around her waist, sliding along the sequins of her dress. Her hand on his arm, gripping the sleeve tightly. They had helds hands, but she'd been wearing gloves. They had not touched, skin against skin, until that moment on the stage. He'd found her attractive, maybe even a little otherworldly, but he hadn't really _looked_ at her. He had almost missed her entirely.

And now he had to see her again.

He'd almost reached the opposite end of the park when something snagged his attention. He found her immediately, freezing as he took in her appearance.

She, too, had come in cosplay today. She, too, had opted for something simpler than the elaborate costume of yesterday. And, he swallowed as he ran his eyes over her, she too was wearing leather.

Her hair was shorter, teased into a cloud around her head. She was reclining against the wall that marked the park exit, hands tucked casually into the pockets of her black leather jacket. Her legs...Rayden had seen Titania's legs before, had in fact seen Titania nude, and yet something about her legs clad in skin-tight shiny black leather and ending in red spiked heels that could have been a weapon unto themselves…

She noticed his regard immediately, pulling her dark shades down the bridge of her nose to smirk at him. "Well, if it isn't my favorite Witcher," she drawled, her eyes raking over him appreciatively.

He was staring and he couldn't help it and he absolutely was not even the slightest bit guilty about it. As he drew closer, he slowly, slowly, traced his eyes back up her body to her face. There was a flush on her cheeks but she didn't look at all offended by his blatant leers.

"Sandy?" he asked.

"Tell me about it," she replied flippantly, pushing her glasses up into her hair as she echoed the iconic movie line and smouldered at him from under lowered lashes, "stud."

He tried for a nonchalant reply, but his voice was rough with suppressed need. "If you think I'm going to break into a song and dance now-"

"Get over here and kiss me," she interrupted, grabbing the front of his shirt and hauling him forward with a strength equal to his own.

And so he did. One hand braced on the wall near her head, the other tangled in her soft teased curls, and he devoured her lips, tasting her as he hadn't in so, so long. She moaned softly into his mouth, wrapping her arms around his waist and pulling him flush against her. Her hands slid up his back and she rolled her hips against his, making him grunt and break away to nuzzle her neck. He inhaled the scent of her skin, buried his face in the cloud of her hair, and felt her pulse racing to match his.

"You cut your hair," he murmured against her skin and pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder.

"It's magic, you dope," she said breathlessly.

"Scandalous."

"Not as scandalous as it's about to be." Her hands drifted down his back, questing past his waist, lower…

He pulled back just far enough to give her a feral grin. "Your place or mine?"

She kissed his jaw. "I don't care." Lower…

It was getting hard for him to think straight. "Wait, do you even _have_ a place?" Lower…

She nibbled down his neck, bit his shoulder lightly. "Right here." Her hands tightened.

Rayden groaned and teleported them directly to his bed.

The rest of the day was a blur.

* * *

"What were you doing at a comic con?"

"What were _you_ doing at a comic con?"

"...Would you believe I've taken up gaming?"

...

"Did you find out who attacked us?"

"No, but I will."

"Do you think it was because…"

"Because what?"

"...Two of us, together, in the same place. So much power. Attracting attention."

"...Possibly."

"So...no more comic cons?"

...

"Were you going to tell me who you were?"

"I wasn't sure it was you."

"I think maybe we've both spent too much time hiding."

"Says the one who was cosplaying as _himself_."

...

"How long can you stay?"

"The end of the convention."

"Tomorrow?"

"Today."

"What? Oh…"

"Lose track of time?"

"Something might've distracted me a little…"

...

"I missed you."

...

"I love you."

* * *

Titania tossed her long hair over her shoulder, leaving it to fall loosely down her back. She had just finished dressing, her costume now morphed into her usual attire. A tight fitting cropped top that left her stomach bare and low, loose pants with cuffs at the ankles. She glanced out the window and felt a tug of magic, beckoning her home.

She turned to look at Rayden where he still slept, drinking in the site of his nude form as he lay sprawled on his back, completely relaxed, his hair forming a silver halo around his head. Pressing a gentle kiss to his lips, she whispered, "I will see you again."

She slipped silently out the door, the sun and heat immediately pressing into her as her bare feet sank into the warm sand. She walked slowly down the beach, gazing out at the water. She had always loved the ocean. Her world had no such thing.

A moment later, her view was obscured by a portal. Her time was up. With a soft sigh, she stepped toward it.

A hand wrapped around her wrist, tugging so that she stumbled back. Arms wrapped around her, pulling her back into a strong chest, and she was enveloped in the scent of Rayden.

"Don't go," he murmured into her ear.

Her hands gripped his forearms, but she couldn't make herself push him away. Instead, she found herself clinging to him. "I didn't make the rules," she laughed softly, a little sadly.

He growled but she knew his anger wasn't directed at her.

She twisted in his arms and kissed him once, quickly, and then slipped out of his grip while he was still processing what had happened. "I _will_ see you again," she repeated her words from earlier.

He started to reach for her and then, hands fisting, he lowered his arms to his sides. She waited for a long moment while he struggled with himself. "When?" he managed at last.

She tilted her head, studying him coyly. "There's another comic con in two weeks. South. Near the coast." She gave him an impish grin. "You'll never guess what I'll be cosplaying."

And then she took two steps backward and vanished into the portal.


End file.
